Borrowed and Blue Songtext
von Emily Portman

I′ve built a bower in a high, high tree
Lined with bridal lace and covered with rue
Borrowed and blue, borrowed and blue
All alone and a-lonely

What are these two bald red chicks?
Come screaming from my body
Clawing, pawing to be fed
I've turned from glade to factory

The mist is rising all around
I′ve lost sight of my babies
So easily toppled to the ground
All alone and a-lonely

And I've lost sight of you, my love
Snug in one nest with our babies
Now I need your open arms
To bear me over to safety


My silent father, paper thin
Is buried in his study
The more I thickened, drowned the waist
The less he seemed to see me

What would my neat mother say?
Buried under needlework
A tapestry of bridal tongues
Kept her finger busy

Her words rise, muffled, from marble stone
"Pray to our honorable Mary"
"You'll fast fall in with Magdalene"
"Once you′ve been free with your body"

Well, I′ve prayed to the statues on the lawn
I've prayed to the saints in the cemetery
They will not look me in the eye
They sigh, "It is a pity"

I′ll topple those statues one by one
For they're all alone and a-lonely
Branches, branches, spread your leaves
Bend your bowers and set me down
So I may not fear the ground
So I may not fear
The ground